Making life more affordable

Fighting inequality through childcare, a stronger public pension plan and a minimum wage!

TURN THINGS AROUND AND GIVE THE MIDDLE CLASS A BREAK

It’s time to put an end to the Conservatives’ unfair income splitting program that benefits only the wealthy. Let’s invest in the middle class by reducing the cost of childcare spaces from more than $1,000 per month to a maximum of $15 per day.

After a decade of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, middle-class families are working harder than ever but still can’t make ends meet. Mr. Harper thinks Canadians should settle for less. Tom Mulcair believes that now is the time to get Canada back on track.

In 2015, Tom Mulcair and Stephen Harper will offer Canadians two very different plans for Canada.

Instead of wasting billions on tax breaks for the rich and subsidies for major corporations that don’t create jobs, Tom Mulcair will help families that are struggling to get by.

1. Grow the CPP, grow your savings

Nearly a third of our workforce—and close to 60% of young Canadians—will face a steep drop in their standard of living by retirement.

The NDP is fighting to strengthen the Canada Pension Plan and the Quebec Pension Plan. It’s a better way to help young Canadians save and invest for their future. It’s also a better way to make sure our seniors can retire with dignity.

Sadly, the Conservatives and Liberals both oppose increasing the CPP.

Retirement security is one of the most pressing economic issues facing Canadian families today.

The Conservatives’ cuts to Old Age Security will slash $11 billion from seniors’ retirement income by raising the retirement age to 67.

The CPP Investment Board is one of Canada’s most successful investment funds.

Hard-working families deserve a decent living and this is why the NDP is committed to restoring the federal minimum wage and increasing it to $15 per hour by the end of our first term in office.

“All Canadians who work hard and play by the rules should be able to make a decent living. Restoring the federal minimum wage will help workers make ends meet and help to build a fairer and healthier economy,” said NDP Leader Tom Mulcair.

The NDP plans to reverse the Liberal government’s 1996 decision to scrap the federal minimum wage.

“Increasing the minimum wage is key to reducing income inequality and building a fairer economy,” said Mr. Mulcair.

3. Affordable childcare

“Moms and dads across Canada work hard and sacrifice every day to ensure their kids get the start they need,” said Tom Mulcair. “But in the last nine years under Stephen Harper, parents have seen their childcare costs go through the roof. It’s time parents got a break.”

Mr. Mulcair explained that the NDP’s plan would build on the successful childcare model from Quebec. He was able to see firsthand how the model works in his time as a Quebec cabinet minister.

“As a father and grandfather, I understand the importance of childcare services,” he added. “As a former Quebec cabinet minister, I’ve seen firsthand how affordable childcare helps families and boosts the economy. It’s time parents across Canada were able to benefit from this type of program.”

There are currently 900,000 children who are in need of care but have no access to quality affordable childcare spaces.

Tom Mulcair’s plan for affordable childcare would ensure that there is a space for each child and that parents pay no more than $15 a day.

Concerned about the housing crisis, the NDP is committed to supporting the middle class through a social housing policy.

Following the lead of the Liberal government, which eliminated the federal affordable housing program and passed off the responsibility for housing to the provinces, the Conservative government has cut funding for affordable housing. The result? No fewer than one in four Canadians lives in overpriced housing, and hundreds of thousands of Canadians are homeless.

As my friend Jack Layton said, “The housing crisis did not occur in Canada because we forgot how to build houses. We overlooked a growing number of Canadians…we left them by the wayside.”

The NDP believes that all Canadians can have secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing. For many years, the NDP has insisted that our country adopt a national strategy to end the housing crisis, create new opportunities for jobs in our communities and ensure that all Canadians have access to adequate and affordable housing.

Our campaign, “A Roof, A Right,” launched by my colleague Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (Hochelaga), calls for federal investment in a national strategy for social housing. Experts estimate that, without such funding, 200,000 Canadians will lose their homes or be forced to pay more than they can afford.